If I Wanted You to Know, I Would Have Told You
by HunneyBea
Summary: Sam wants to keep a secret, but others want to find out.
1. Chapter 1

_Slaapppp_ !!

The sound was heard all through the outdoor café, and probably throughout the whole city of Miami.

"You gotta lot of nerve showing up here again." Was all the angry woman spat out before she turned on her heels and walked away.

Sam was sitting there, rubbing the now red side of his face, he didn't know why that woman had slapped him like that.

Mike and Fi watched helplessly at the interaction between Sam and the unknown woman.

"Looks like that smarts." Fi can't hide the grin on her lips, she's been waiting for something like this to happen.

"I don't know why she slapped me, maybe she was one of the ladies I picked up and forgot about."

"Yea." Michael replies dryly. He too was wondering when his friends wanderlust was going to catch up to him.

There is an outburst of cheers and hoots from a private room.

"What's going on in there?" Fi asks the waitress as she delivers their order.

"The monthly girls get-together. It's a group of women around the area that rent the room and they have lunch and games, they're booked every month for the next six months. They are a hoot, we all try to get to cover the room just for the games."

"They have fun, huh?"

"Oh yea, some of the guys won't even wait on them cause they might get groped. George has to lay down the law once in a while, but overall he likes them."

"Sounds like my kind of fun." Fi laughs.

The trio were still eating when the rambunctious lunch party breaks up and the numerous women file out.

Sam had just started to take a drink when he looks up at the departing ladies, then starts to choke and drop his glass.

"Ok, buddy, go down the wrong pipe."

Sam is trying to breathe, talk and motion with his hands at the same time.

Fi looks around and all she sees is the women leaving. Whoever or whatever Sam was looking at is gone.

When he finally gets his breath. "Yea I'm ok. Just took too big of a drink is all."

Sam is strangely subdued the rest of the meal.

The first sign that something is going on is when the bill shows up.

"I'll pay this time." Sam grabs the bill. "I'll meet you guys later."

Michael starts to say something, when Fi grabs his arm and drags him from the table.

"Quick before he changes his mind." Fi giggles.

-

-

-

"George"

"Yea Sam"

"Was that--?"

"Yea and no."

"Yea it was her and no I won't tell you anything."

"Come on pal" he slides a grant bill over to him.

"You had your chance. You dumped her."

"But…"

"No buts" He holds up his hands, palms up "She tried to get hold you and you didn't call back. So she got the message loud and clear…and so did everyone else."

"That's why the woman slapped me huh?"

"Toni? Yea. Some people figured it out."

"It's not what you think. You think Toni told her she saw me?

He pauses. "She left here in a good mood, so I doubt it."

"I've gotta talk to her." Sam pleads.

"Sam, you know she won't be easy to talk to."

"I know, candy and flowers aren't gonna work on her."

"But I can tell you what will" George grins as he takes the grant and puts it in his pocket.


	2. Chapter 2

She rings the bell two more times.

"Terri?" She knocks on the door as she calls out her name, then rattles the doorknob. She nervously figdgets while waiting.

"Coming, hold on." The voice on the other side of the door calls.

"Toni, hey." was the greeting as the door opens.

"Terri, I was wondering if you were even here, everything ok?" Toni babbles, continuing to talk before getting an answer. "Took you long enough to answer the door."

"Sorry. Not as fast as I used to be."

"I brought dinner as promised." She teases her with some takeout containers.

"Mmmmm, Cashew chicken, my favorite."

Toni helps Terri take the cartons to the kitchen, "Oh darn, I forgot something in the car. Be right back. Leave the door unlocked ok?"

"Ok."

Terri starts to get plates and utensils out when she hears the door open and shut. "That didn't take long, what did you - - -"

She stops in mid sentence, dropping the forks that she was carrying. Her face quickly changes from the shade and expression of pale to angry red.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Please" Sam begins to plead.

"Get out." She hisses through clenched teeth.

"I need to talk to you please, the only way I could get to you is through Toni."

Terri makes a mental note to send her so-called best friend a thank you gift for that. Then she takes a deep breath, then looking at her watch. "Ok, Five minutes starting now."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" She interrupts him. "You're sorry? I called you, twice. Then I called you and your phone was disconnected. What did that tell me? Huh?"

"I was..."

"That told me that you didn't care, I was one of your use 'em and lose girls."

"I didn't..."

"Of course you didn't, to know you would have had to answer the phone or call me. I tried to tell you so it isn't my fault either."

Terri is slowly losing steam. Sam takes the opportunity to move toward her and starts to talk.

"I meant to call you, really I did. My phone died, then I had to get a new one and ended with a new number. I couldn't get your number. By the time I got the new phone I thought you'd be mad at me."

"Sam I'm sorry.' She sits, feeling defeated. "It was partially my fault too. I was out of town for a week here and there, then moved."

An uncomfortable silence is followed by "How did you find me?"

"You're monthly girls luncheon, I was having lunch there that day. I saw you and...and..."

He stops talking as he looks at the frightened look on her face, he cautiously makes his way over, lifting her shirt and rubs his hands over her swollen belly, her five months pregnant swollen belly.

He looks into her tear stained face, "Are you gonna be ok?"

"No, I'm scared, I'm retaining water, I ache all over and he won't let me sleep at night."

"He?" Sam's face brightens up.

"Yea, it's a boy, so they say, he could always come out as a girl."

"We're gonna have a baby." Sam's face brightens. "We're gonna have a boy."

-

-

-

Later that night, he rubs her feet with lotion and keeps them elevated as they lay on her bed.

"So Toni really slapped you? Right in front of your friends." Terri laughs at his pain. "You used to be able to catch those before they made contact."

"Yeah, guess I was to slow." He rubs the side of his face remembering the impact. "And she didn't even tell you?"

"No, I guess she didn't want to get me upset in my 'condition'."

"I'm glad she did though."

"Why is that?"

"I would have never found you again."

"Uh huh, for how long?" Comes her sarcastic retort.

Sam ignores that remark. "I don't think you should be alone."

"I'm not alone. I have friends that check on me and all that."

"I mean, alone here in the condo." He stops rubbing her feet and looks seriously in her eyes. "Suppose you can't get to the phone, or need someone to hold you at night, someone to talk to, to take care of you. Let me move in with you."

She closes her eyes and after a long pause "Are you sure? What about your other lady friends."

"They'll have to take a number."

Sam thinks he overstepped his boundary and was moving to fast when she finally answers "Call me stupid, but I'll think about it."

"Well I'll stay here until you decide." He kisses her on her nose, then her lips and starts to get amorous.

"You remember this is how I got in this predicament." She murmurs as she returns his affections.

"Of course I do, I was there." He rubs her belly "and this is the wonderful result of that night."

He pauses to gaze in her eyes, which are full of a mixture of uncertainty and desire. He could read it in her eyes, that she was doubting that he was going to be there in the morning,

He had to prove her wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam wakes up when he hears the whimpering, he turns on the bedside lamp and turns to watch her sleep. Her dark brown hair is cut shorter than usual, with the red highlights peeking through. Her face is glowing even as she sleeps and she has the cutest freckles.

She whimpers again as she starts to toss and turn.

"Hey" he lightly shakes her shoulder "What's wrong?"

"Leg cramp, leg cramp!"She squirms as she throws off the bed covers and tries, unsuccessfully, to reach and rub her leg. "Hurts" She whines.

"Hold on, hold on" he quickly grabs the bottle of lotion from at the bedside table, he can see the silent pain in her face and eyes and wishes he could take it from her.

He warms the lotion between his hands and gingerly touches her calf, "oww" she instinctively pulls away. He slowly rubs the lotion into her leg and hums some lyricless tune, she is still squirming but not as much and her body is slowly relaxing in his touch.

He finally feels the muscles release and she deeply exhales.

"All better now?"

"Mmmmmm yes, thank you."

He snuggles up to her; they lay there silently for some time, and each one knowing that other isn't sleeping yet.

-

-

She wakes the next morning alone in the bed, well thats what she expected

She knew he would cut and run, but it hurts her feelings anyway. And its her fault she fell for it, again.

Then she hears sounds coming from the kitchen, along with some choice words. She smiles, well she was wrong. He's still here.

Sam was trying to cook breakfast all at the same time without burning anything. So far he has burnt the toast, dropped several eggs on the floor and somehow made the coffee maker overflow.

_Before she met him she had assumed that being sexy and obnoxious were mutually exclusive traits._

Sneaking into the kitchen, she leans against the wall and watches. Her clean kitchen is a more than a mess, words can't describe what happened. This could be a candidate for a kitchen nightmare episode. But she couldn't make herself be mad, seeing Sam in the kitchen is a picture perfect moment, it made it all worthwhile.

He finally looks up and spies her; "this isn't funny"

"Oh no it's not funny, its hilarious, where's my camera?"

"Oh no you don't" he grabs her and pulls her into the kitchen and wraps his arms aroudn her.

"This is the trifecta. You're barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen."

She smiles at his attempt to make her feel better.

"Sorry about the mess." He sheepishly grins.

"That's ok, there's always cereal, cereal is safe."

Safe, yea, that's just want he wants.

"You" he turns her around and gives her a little push. "go back to bed, I'll bring your breakfast to you."

-

-

"So what do I need to do to?" Sam asks his dining partner when he finally catches up to her over a week later. The Hispanic looking woman with dark wavy brown hair, dark brown, almost chocolate eyes, listens to him without answering yet. "To prove I'm here for the long run?"

Toni pushes her hair behind her ears, leaning forward and taking in the man sitting across from her. He is actually asking for advice about her best friend. Even she's surprised that he is still there. She expected a lot less from him.

_Liberating yourself from your self-imposed rules is a great way to remind yourself why you put them in place to begin with._

Admittedly Sam practically groveled to her to arrange the meet with Terri. And Toni slapping him a second time didn't deter his determination. She doesn't know why she caved in but she did. Terri was mad at her for a couple of days, but came around.

And he's still with her.

"Sam, you know she's moody, now more than ever. You have to give her time. You don't know how hurt she was when she couldn't get hold of you."

I know, I can't take it back. I just want to make it up to her any way I can."

"Offer to go to a doctors appointment with her, be there for her, especially at night. Make her feel like she's the only one in your life. But don't make the commitment if you can't keep the promise. I know you have _other_ things to do.

"You don't understand, it's not that I don't, its just that - - "Sam looks behind her and begins to stammer "Uh, my friends are heading this way; I need you to…"

"Leave? I can take a hint." She grabs her purse as she gets up, then to his shock she pauses to plant a kiss his lips, with a smile she adds, "just to give them something to talk about."

"Sam" Michael greets his pal pretending he didn't see the exchange of affection from a few minutes before.

But Fiona wasn't one to let it pass. "Hey Sam isn't that the same woman who slapped you the other day?"

"Yea, they can't stay mad at me long. How bout a drink?" He turns and looks around "Where's the waitress?"

He is interrupted by a phone call.

"Yea Tommy, well, I really want it delivered and set up by tomorrow before 6. No I have to be there. Ok, give me a call."

"Gift?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm staying with a lady friend and thought I'd get her a thank you present for putting up with me. Maybe we'll stay on friendlier terms."

"So you and Vernonica patch things up?" Fi asks innocently.

"Something like that." Then he tries to change the subject. "So what's up with that extortion case Mikey?"

Michael knows Sam well enough to know that he's hiding something. Sam hasn't been paying attention to small details, and has been evasive lately, several times he hasn't been available when called, or has been taking mysterious calls then having to leave in the middle of a meeting.

It's not like him to keep secrets, so this must be serious. Michael will give him a few more days before he sets him down and asks him to lay it on the line.

-

-

Teri arrives home to a happy and attentive Sam; from the way he greets her at the door, takes her purse and leads her in to when he plants a warm kiss welcoming her home. She definitely likes the attention and the man dishing it out.

"Are you happy to see me or what?"

"Yes, I've missed you. And I've got a surprise." He practically bounces around as takes her hand and leads her to the bedroom.

'The bedroom?" She smiles. He can't get enough can he.

"Close your eyes."

"Come on, its not like I haven't seen it before."

"Please."

"Ok" She giggles.

"Wait for it."

He lets go of her hand and she feels him slip something in it.

"Open your eyes."

It's a remote controller of some sort.

"Wow, this is thoughtful." She turns and points it toward the TV.

"No that's not what its for", he takes her hand, leads her to sit on the edge of the bed and and presses a button on the controller to the bed, she feels the bed start to vibrate and get softer. Her face and her eye lighten and she drags him onto the bed beside her.

"Here's to our new adjustable bed." He grins and gives her a glass of apple juice.

"Sam you shouldn't have." She squeals with excitement.

"Well you were complaining, I mean you weren't complaining, but you said something about how your back hurt and this should help, you can set it - - -"

Then she bear hugs him, "I love it." She smothers him with kisses. "Love it." as she starts to adjust the numbers.

"Oh this is wonderful, come here and adjust with me." Then she gets serious. "I can pay half or whatever you think is fair."

He lays across the bed with her. "You don't owe me anything, this is ours."

_Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end._


	4. Chapter 4

"Well, it's not Veronica." Fi tells Michael.

"What's not?" Michael must have missed something.

"The woman Sam is involved with, it's not Veronica. She said she hasn't seen or heard from Sam in weeks."

"Uh-huh."

"Come on Michael, aren't you the least bit curious."

"Fi, it's really none of our business. If Sam wants us to know he'll tell us."

"Or he wants us to ask. If we don't ask he'll think that we don't care."

She has a point, Michael is curious as well, Sam has almost said something a couple of times but they get interrupted before he can finish the thought.

Admittedly he has noticed that Sam seems to be preoccupied at times and isn't boasting of any romantic conquests.

-

-

-

Sam opens the door to the condo, and finds Toni sitting on the couch in the living room reading a book.

"She's asleep, don't wake her up." Toni glances at him before turning closing her book.

"What happened at her appointment, she never called back. Is she ok?"

Toni sighs and puts the book down. "The doctor put her on bed rest and wants to see her once a week."

"That's not good is it?" Sam pales as he speaks.

"It's just a precaution, he's concerned about the swelling and her blood pressure. She's got two months to go, and its going to be a long two months. That means pampering her more and no getting her upset."

"That's easier said than done, man, her moods change faster than the dow jones average."

"Sam, I have to admit, you've been a real peach during this. She needs you now more than ever."

After getting briefed and sending Toni home, Sam quietly creeps into the bedroom to check on her. He sees the pain, and the beauty, in her face as she sleeps. He adjusts her legs on the fluffy pillows that have been placed under ankles raising them to help with the swelling. He kisses her forehead and quietly slips into bed beside her. Staving off sleep as he watches her as long as he can.

-

-

"Fi are you sure this is the place." As they stop before an unremarkable door.

"Yes Michael, I followed him. When she answers the door we'll make our pitch to get inside."

Fi knocks on the door and waits.

No answer, then she rings the doorbell. After a minute of no answer and no sound from inside. She takes her lock pick set out of her pocket. Before she can open it they hear "Can I help you?" coming from behind them.

They turn to face a man walking toward them.

"Yes, we're have a priority call about the cable being out in this apartment. This is the Ryder apartment?"

"Well, I live there, the names not Ryder and I don't have a problem."

"Are you sure? Do you mind if we take a look since we're here and that way we won't have to make a second trip."

The man stares at them, "give me a minute to check it." He moves toward the door and blocks the door knob and key lock from their sight. "Do you mind?"

Mike and Fi exchange glances and take a couple of steps away. There not going to get into the apartment today.

They move away as he enters the condo and shuts the door behind him. A few minutes later he opens the door and walks out "everything seems to be fine. They must have given you the wrong address.

"Sorry about that, must have been a miscommunication with the dispatcher."

"No problem, it happens."

The man stands with his hand on the doorknob as he watches Mike and Fi walk away.

"Any other bright ideas" Mike sneers.

"But I saw him go into that door."

"Maybe he was visiting someone."

-

-

-

The man enters the condo, closes the door and peers out the window to make sure they didn't come back.

"Who were they?" Terri asks from the comfort of the couch, where she sits with her feet on the coffee table, propped up by throw pillows.

"Said from the cable company. Didn't buy it." He shows her a picture taken from his cell phone. "Know 'em?"

She shakes her head "No, but they took a lot of care to make it look real. Thanks for showing up. I thought they were going to pick the lock or find another way in."

"No problem, that's what neighbors are for. You gonna tell the boyfriend?"

"No, its probably nothing for him to worry about."

He gives her a curious look.

"If they show up again, I will. I promise."


End file.
